New York City

Connecticut Prison Escapee May Be in Manhattan, Riding the Subway: Sources

What to Know

  • Jerry Mercado, 25, escaped from a Connecticut prison on Jan. 7 and hasn't been seen since
  • Law enforcement sources say he may be in New York City riding the subway in an attempt to blend in
  • Authorities said Mercado, was serving a three-year sentence for third-degree burglary, might have fled by stowing away under a vehicle

The convict who escaped a Connecticut prison last week is thought to be in New York City, law enforcement sources told News 4. 

Jerry Mercado, the 25-year-old burglar who busted out of Carl Robinson Correctional Institution in Enfield on Jan. 7, is likely riding the subway and other mass-transit systems in Manhattan in an attempt to blend in, according to sources.

Authorities said Mercado might have gotten out of the prison by stowing away under a vehicle on Jan. 7 -- either a state police van or a garbage truck. 

Mercado, who is from Hartford, was serving a three-year sentence for third-degree burglary charges at the time of the escape. Officials from the DOC said he is classified as a "low risk" offender, but police had been asking people to be on alert.

He is 5 feet, 4 inches and weighs 137 pounds and might be wearing a combination of a tan jumpsuit, white T-shirt and gray sweatshirt. He has two visible tattoos: One on his neck reads "time waits for no one" and he has another on his left temple.

Anyone who thinks they’ve seen Mercado should call 911 immediately, call the U.S. Marshals at (877) 926-8332 or email them here. Police stress that he should not be approached. 

The U.S. Marshals service has also increased its reward from $1,500 to up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.

Carl Robinson is primarily a dormitory-style facility that houses around 1,500 inmates on Shaker Road in Enfield.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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